OAKLAND

It was truly a meeting of champions Friday morning at the McClymonds High School library.

Basketball legend Bill Russell, winner of 11 NBA titles, two NCAA crowns and an Olympic gold medal, made a rare appearance at his alma mater to greet and congratulate members of the Warriors state champion basketball team.

"I'm so proud because not only did you guys win the state championship, but you did it with style and class," Russell said to the quiet, engaged group.

Russell spent nearly two hours with the players and coaches, giving advice and telling stories of his life experiences, which have included a recent hourlong conversation with Nelson Mandela, his friendship with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and a meeting with the Dalai Lama.

"I feel just as honored meeting you guys," Russell said, "because of the way you conduct yourself and because we come from the same place."

He spoke fondly of his time at McClymonds and the people he interacted with, including baseball Hall-of-Famer Frank Robinson, who was one of his teammates on the basketball court.

"I was really lucky when I was at McClymonds because not only did we have some really great athletes, but good, intelligent people," Russell said.

The players had opportunities to ask Russell questions, which ranged from how many of his high school teammates went to college to star senior forward Frank Otis asking for

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tips on how he can make it to the NBA.

"Talk to yourself or your coach and figure out what you do very well," Russell told Otis. "The things that you don't do well, you work on that."

In Russell's 21 years of playing organized basketball, he said 18 concluded with a championship. At one point, he helped the Boston Celtics to eight straight NBA titles.

"None of those measure up to my junior year at McClymonds, when we won the Tournament of Champions," Russell said.

When asked how much McClymonds won by, Russell — who wasn't a starter for most of his high school career — replied, "I almost got into the game, that's how bad it was."

Sporting one of his Celtics championship rings on his left hand, Russell talked about the frequent discussions of who is the greatest player of all time.

"Take any two of them," he said, referring to other players mentioned in that realm, "and I'll match rings with them."